Flexible connection between adjacent monorail coaches



A. B. HAWES June 11, 1968 FLEXIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN ADJACENT MONORAIL COACHES Filed April 15, 1966 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR. 44 4A/ a HAM/5,

United States Patent 3,387,568 FLEXIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN ADJACENT MONORAIL COACHES Alan B. Hawes, 8504 eaview Ave, Wildwood Crest, NJ. 68260 Filed Apr. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 542,825 Claims. (Cl. 105-45) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a flexible connection between adjacent monorail coaches in the form of a hood fabricated of semi-rigid plastic material and shaped to the same partial arcuate configuration as encircling flanges projecting outwardly from each of the adjacent ends of the coaches, a plurality of transverse corrugations formed in said hood to permit flexible expansion and compression longitudinally thereof, the corrugations at the ends of the hood being in frictional sliding engagement with said flanges and spring-biased hooks mounted near the lower edge of said hood and releasably clamped over the adjacent terminating lower edges of said flanges to provide the sole means of securing the hood to the coaches.

This invention relates to a resilient diaphragm between adjacent coaches of a monorail train which forms a flexible connection therebetween.

An object of the invention is to provide a flexible connection between adjacent coaches of a monorail train which lends itself to ready mounting and dismounting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible connection between adjacent coaches of a monorail train which is shaped to a configuration so as to surround and enclose the space between the complemental ends of adjacent monorail coaches and which may be mounted between coaches and releasably-attached to the complemental ends of said coaches, with facility and ease.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible connection between adjacent coaches of a monorail train which is of simple construction, highly eflicient in use, and commercially practical.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a monorail train having the flexible connection according to the present invention between adjacent coaches.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a monorail, and a train A, FIGURE 1, having a plurality of coaches 12 and 13 arranged in tandem spaced relation is mounted on the monorail 10 for travel therealong. The complemental ends of the adjacent coaches, or coaches 12 and 13, each has a partial encircling flange 14, the flanges 14 being of like construction. Since the construction of the flanges 14 is the same, the construction of only the flange 14 on the behind coach 13 will be described. The flange 14 projects outwardly from the complemental end of the coach 13 and extends from one side of the truck 15, FIGURE 2, beneath the coach 13 to the op- 3,387,568 Patented June 11, 1968 posite side of the truck 15. Thus, the partial encircling flange 14 has spaced ends 16 and 17.

A flexible connection embodying an elongated upstanding hood 20, FIGURE 1, is interposed between the adjacent coaches or coaches 12 and 13. The hood 20 is fabricated of flexible material, such as a semi-rigid plastic fiberglass material, the rigidity of the material being such as to enable the hood to support its own weight. The hood 20 is shaped to a partial circular configuration having a plurality of corrugations 22 in side-by-side relation and extending from one end to the other end thereof. The corrugations 20 are all of like depth such that the flexible expansion and compression will be absorbed by the radius of the corrugations. Specifically, the hood 20 comprises a pair of half sections 21, FIGURES 2 and 4, arranged in face-to-face relation so that the complemental upper ends 23 are contiguous to each other with the complemental lower ends 24 spaced from each other, and means embodying hinge means 25 connects the upper ends 23 of the half sections 21 together for movement of the sections 21 toward and away fnom each other.

The hood 20 is disposed between the adjacent coaches or coaches 12 and 13 so that the ridges 22a of the corrugations 22 are uppermost and the valleys 22b of the corrugations 22 are lowermost with the valleys 22b at the ends of the hood 20, FIGURES 1 and 3, bearinglycontacting the flanges 14 of the coaches or coaches 12 and 13 and the free end portions 220 projecting from the terminating valleys 22b frictionally-engaging the complemental ends of the adjacent coaches or coaches 12 and 13.

A pair of spring-biased hooks 28, FIGURES 1 and 6, are on each of the complemental lower ends 24 of the pair of half sections 21 of the hood 20, the hooks being releasably-interengageable with the adjacent terminating ends 16 and 17 of the adjacent flange 14, as shown in FIGURE 6.

In operation, to disconnect the hood 20 from between the adjacent coaches, or coaches 12 and 13, FIGURE 1, the hooks 28 adjacent the front coach 12 are shifted out of interengagement with the terminating ends 16 and 17 of the flange 14 projecting from the complemental end of the front coach 12, whereupon the front coach 12 is caused to be moved forwardly suflicient to free its flange 14 from frictional engagement with the adjacent valley 22b of the hood 20. The hooks 28 adjacent the behind coach 13 are then shifted out of interengagement with the terminating ends 16 and 17 of the flange 14 projecting from the complemental end of the behind coach 13, whereupon the half-sections 21 of the hood 20 are moved away from each other, and the thus opened hood lifted free from the flange 14 of the behind coach 13.

To connect the hood 20, the opened hood 20 is disposed so that the terminating valley 22b at one end of the hood is adjacent to the flange 14 of the behind coach 13, whereupon the pair of sections 21 of the hood 20 are moved toward each other with the terminating valley 22b at the said one end of the hood bearingly-contacting the flange 14 of the behind coach 13 and the free end portion 220 projecting from the terminating valley 22b frictionally-engaging the complemental end of the behind coach 13. At this point, the hooks 28 adjacent the behind coach 13 are shifted into interengagement with the lower ends of the pair of sections 21, fixedly-attaching the hood 20 to the behind coach 13. With the hood 20 thus attached to the behind coach 13, the front coach 12 is moved backwardly to an extent such that the terminating valley 22b at the other end of the hood 20 bearingly-contacts the flange 14 of the front coach 12 and the free end portion 220 projecting from the terminating valley 22b frictionally-engages the complemental end of the front coach 12, whereupon the hooks 28 adjacent the front coach 12 are shifted into interengagement with the lower ends 3 of the pair of sections 21, fixedly-attaching the hood 20 to the front coach 12.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a pair of train coaches each having the same arcuate periphery in cross-section and arranged in tandem spaced relation for connection by a standard coupling, of a partial encircling flange projecting outwardly from each of the adjacent ends of said coaches, each of said flanges terminating in a pair of spaced lower edges extending longitudinally of the coaches, an elongated upstanding hood interposed between adjacent coaches, said hood being fabricated of semi-rigid plastic material and shaped to the same partial arcuate configuration as said flanges, a plurality of transverse corrugations formed in side-by-side relation on said hood to permit flexible expansion and compression longitudinally thereof, the corrugations at the ends of the hood being in frictional sliding engagement with and bearingly-contacting said flanges, and a pair of spring-biased hooks mounted near the lower edges of said hood and releasably clamped over the adjacent terminating lower edges of said flanges to provide the sole means of securing the hood to the coaches.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said hood is split longitudinally along its top to form a pair of sections arranged in face-to-face relation so that the upper edges are contiguous to each other with the lower edges spaced from each other, and means connecting the upper edges of said sections together for lateral movement of the sections toward and away from each other.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said means comprise hinge means permitting lateral swinging movement of the hood sections about a longitudinally disposed hinge pivot.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said hood is fabricated of semi-rigid fiberglass material.

5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said hooks are disposed at the lower longitudinal edges of said hood, a coil spring being attached at one end to each hook and at the other end to the hood, stretching of said springs allowing extension of the hook to clampingly engage the lower edges of said flanges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,050 2/1918 Schroyer l0518 XR 1,943,370 1/1934 Cornet 2139 2,169,694 8/1939 Hendrickson 105-48 2,296,771 9/1942 Crawford 104138 2,991,509 7/1961 Brophy 1G515 XR ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Exmniner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. 

